NHTSA Complaint #11496054 — 2016 FORD F-150

Back window shattered as a result of a rear defrost malfunction. Outside temperatures were around 20 degrees F so I used my remote start to warm up my vehicle before leaving. Upon entering the vehicle approximately 5-7 minutes later I noticed an odd smell that I can only describe as electronics overheating or burning. Then about 5 minutes into my drive on a smooth road and without any other incident I experienced a very loud popping noise and immediately pulled over to investigate. What I noticed right away was that the entire back window (with the exception of the small power window) was shattered and was starting to fall into my vehicle. When calling for a quote to replace my window, two of the shops both indicated that this is a know problem with Ford F150's due to the rear defroster malfunctioning. I have a crew cab F150 and regularly use it to transport my 3 young children, and luckily they were not with me on this trip, but I am very worried that this could have resulted in shards of glass right by their heads where they are sitting. Other than the odd smell I noticed that day, there were no messages or symptoms of this problem. I live in a cold climate and often use the remote start without any similar issues.